Conduit and car for pneumatic railways.



R. G. COLLINS, JR. CONDUIT AND GAR POR PNEUMATIC RAILWAYS.

APPLICATION FILED LIAR.4,1914.

AL 1 9 1 00x a C D d 8 t n G t n@ P 3 SHE Fade Qui

R. G. COLLINS, JR.

CONDUIT AND UAR POR PNEUMATIG RAILWAYS. APPLICATION FILED 111111.11,1914.

1, 1 20, 1 33. Patented Dec, 8, 1914.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

ffg-@ MTW @,161 @afn/U27 dnowu 1HE MORRIS PETERSC0.FINOT0-LI1H0..WASHANGWN D C R. G. COLLINS, Jn. GONDUIT AND CAR FORPNEUMA'IIC RAILWAYS.

APPLICATION x-LLED MAR.4,1914

1 1 20, 1 33. Patented Dec. 8, 1914.

3 SHEETSMSHEET 3.

RODERICK G. COLLINS, JR., OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

CONDUIT ANDGAR FOR PNEUMATIC RAILWAYS.

Speccation of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 8, 1914.

Appiicauon filed March 4, 1914. Serial No. 822,507.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, RODERICK G. COLLINS, Jr., a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of NewYork, have invented new and useful Improvements in Conduite and Cars forPneumatic Railways, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to pneumatic despatch apparatus, moreparticularly to an improved pneumatic tube and carrier therefor, and hasfor one of its objects to provide a pneumatic tube of such constructionthat it may be made of cementitious material. In forming the tube ofcementitious material a tube or conduit is provided which may be cheaplylaid, and wherein wear plates may be embedded in the cementitiousmaterial to take care of the wear and tear incident to the passage ofthe carriers through the tube, the wear plates constituting reinforcingand strengthening means prolonging the life of the tube or conduit.

Another object of this invention is to provide a pneumatic tube andcarrier of such cross-sectional shape that the carrier will not turnabout its longitudinal axis dur* ing its passage through the tube, andwherein the carrier has a greater cross-sectional area so as to providefor a relatively large space for accommodating the load.

In carrying out this latter object of the invention, provision is madewhereby there is practically no turning movement of the carrier withinthe tube, and wherein the pneumatic tube is trackless, and at the sametime admitting of the installing of automatic switches, particularly ofthe selective type. This is accomplished by providing the carrier withan adjustable tripper, or the like, which as the carrier is maintainedin upright position at all times, will remain in the adjusted positionrelative to the switch operating mechanism so that the operation ispositive and accurate at all times.

In order that the invention may be clear to those skilled in the art, Ihave shown in the kaccompanying drawings one embodiment of theinvention, the same being merely illustrative and not restrictive of theinvention, for I reserve the right to make such mechanical changes asmay be found necessary to adapt the invention to differentcircumstances, all of which being within the purview of my invention.

In the drawings,-Figure 1 is a cross section of a conduit in accordancewith my invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of a portion of theconduit shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic view of the conduitconstructed at a curve. Fig. /1 is a. cross section of the conduit atthe apex of a curve. Fig. 5 is a cross section of the same showing aslightly different construction. Fig. (3 is a cross section of a conduitshowing a modified form of the same. Fig. 7 is a longitudinal section ofa portion of the bottom of the conduit showing a slightly different formof reinforce. Fig. 8 is a similar view disclosing another form ofreinforce.

Referring to these drawings, wherein like numerals indicate similarparts throughout the several figures, 10 designates the pneumatic tubeor conduit which may be formed of any suitable cementitious material,and which is laid into a suitable trench or suitable supporting forms.The bore 11 of the conduit or tube is made U-shape in cross section,although any other cross-section may be given the bore provided that thecross-section presents a non-circular bore for a purpose which willhereinafter appear. The body of the tube or conduit 10 is preferablyreinforced by longitudinally extending tie-rods 12 arranged in the sidewalls of the tube. It is of course understood that these tie-rods can bearranged in any suitable manner. For the purpose of protecting andreinforcing this eementitious tube, which is of material more or lessfriable and tending to disintegrate under constant rubbing of thecarrier wheels, I provide wear-plates, preferably of metal, located inthe inner walls of the tube at points where the carrier wheels engagethe tube. These wear plates are placed at different positions in thetube according to the location of the carrier wheels, and in theconstruction shown in Fig. 1, I have shown` the same as comprising metaltread plates 13 being rounded or arched to conform to the bore 11 andlying substantially flush with the surface thereof so as to provide asmooth uninterrupted bore. These tread plates 13 are anchored in thebody of the tube by depending legs 14 embedded firmly in thecementitious material to prevent any shifting of the plates. It is, ofcourse, understood that these plates may be of any desired length andthat they are placed end to end throughout the length of the tube. Toinsure the anchoring of the legs 14: inthe body of the tube, I providetie-rods 15 which, as shown in Fig. 1, may pass transversely through thelegs 14: and beyond the same or, if preferred, the tie-rods may extendlongitudinally through the legs 1/1 as shown at 15a in Fig. 7. Further,the tierods 15 of. Fig. 1 may be supplemented by the addition of thelongitudinal tie-rods 15a, as shown in Fig. 8.

The car or carrier, designated by 16, corresponds in cross-section tothe shape of the tube. The carrier is provided with end plates 17 eachof which is provided with a supporting wheel 1S at its lower end adaptedto engage and move over the tread plates 13. On either side of each ofthe main supporting wheels 18 are preferably arranged buffer wheels 19to take care, to a certain extent, of the side thrust or rock of thecarrier. These buffer wheels 19 also contact with the metal tread plates13, and if desired the latter may extend up toward the sides of the tubefor engagement with the buffer wheels, as shown. The upper end of eachplate 17 carries at its opposite sides a pair of horizontal bufferWheels 2O which project slightly beyond the lateral edges ofthe plate 17and are adapted to engage the sides of the pneumatic tube when thecarrier rocks, for instance as when rounding a horizontal curve, toretain the carrier in upright position and reduce frictional contactbetween the carrier and the tube. Each end plate 17 is further providedwith a vertical buffer wheel 21 at its upper end adapted for engagementwith the roof 22 of the tube when the carrier rises in the tube inpassing over ridges or where the conduit curves in a vertical plane.VFrom Fig. 1 it will be noted that wear-plates 23 of angular form areembedded in the cementitious material at the angles of the tube, thevertical depending flanges of the wear-plates 23 lying directly oppositeto the side buer wheels 2O at the top of the carrier. The anglewear-plates 23 are anchored in the cementitious bodyby L-bolts 2&1arranged in staggered relation in the opposite flanges of thewear-plates 22, and in the sides and roof of the tube. The Wearplates 23lie flush with the inner surface of the tube and may be retained inposition in any .other suitable manner than herein disclosed. Thesewear-plates 23 also serve as reinforcements for the upper portion of thetube, materially strengthening the same at the upper corners.

In Fig. 6 of the drawings a modified construction of the tube andcarrier is shown. ln this construction the tube 10 is of substantiallythe same shape as shown in Figy 1 but is provided with a roof 22ainstead of an arched roof. The'roof 22 is reinforced, preferablythroughout its entire width, by a wear-plate 23a extending entirelyacross the roof 22- and having its opposite sides embedded in thecorners of the tube 10. The end plate 17 of the carrier has thehorizontal buffer wheels 2.0d dropped down to an intermediate point atthe lateral edges of the plate 17 instead ofrat the top thereof, and thetread plate 13a is extended up within the inner surface of the tube to apoint opposite Y to, or slightly above the buffer wheels 20a, so as toreceive the impact of these buffer wheels and prevent undue wear uponthe inner surface of the tube, particularly when the carrier is roundinga curve. Instead of providing one central buffer wheel 21 at the topofthe end-plate 17, a pair of upper buffer wheels 21a are mounted on theplate, onernear each corner thereof, and adapted to bear against thewear-plate 23a" upon the rocking or lifting of the carrier in the tube.It will thus be noted that the wear-plates used within this improvedtube are to be placed at any point found necessary or desired to receivethe impact of the supporting and buffer wheels of the carrier.

In pneumatic tube systems, particularly of the vtube herein disclosed,the strain is greatest at the curves in thetubes or conduits dueto thefact that the cars or carriers are swung from a right line to a curve.To compensate for this strain, l preferably incline the 'verticalaxis ofthe bore of the tube,`as shown in Figs. et and 5 of the drawings, sothat the swinging or side thrust of the car in taking a curve will becared for.

lie thus tilted bore. of the tube has the effect of easing the 'cararound the curves even at a high speed without undue side thrusts on thewalls of the tube, the inclining of the vertical axis being dependent onthe curve and being ]`n"oportioned to give thel necessary compensationfor side thrusts duei to the tendency 'of the car to traveltangentially. y ln Fig. 1 of the drawings I disclose the bore 11 of theconduit formed eccentrically inthe body 10 of the tube, or in tiltedrelation tothe vertical axis of the tube, the latter being disposed inupright position. ln Fig. 5, I show the bore formed concentrically Ainthe body 10. and the entire body 10 of the tube'tilted in` the trench orsupporting form, so that vthe bore of the tube will have its verticalaxis correspondingly tilted. lt will be understood nthat the curvedportion of the conduit is tilted ygradually from aproper position near'the beginning ofthe curved 'portion of the apexl thereof,

and is then gradually righted in like manner to a similar point slightlybeyond the end of the curve.

In Figs. l and 6 of the drawings I have shown, diagrammatically, anautomatic switch throwing mechanism wherein the arm 25 of the mechanismprojects out from the surface of the bore 11 a slight distance, andwherein the carrier head or end plate 17 is provided with an adjustablestriker or tripper rod 26. It will be noted that the tripper rod 26 mustalways be maintained in the path of the projecting arm 25 in order tothrow the switch. It is readily seen that as the carrier 16 ismaintained in the same relative position to the bore at all times thetripper rod 2G is maintained in its true path and the striking of thetripper rod 26 against the projecting arm 25 is insured. It is of courseunderstood that the switch throwing device herein is only diagrammatically shown, and the same may comprise operating levers tomechanically throw the switch, or the device shown may be electriccontacts to close circuits to op* erate the switch electrically.

It will thus be seen that the car is maintained in its upright positionto produce the above noted advantages without the use of rails or otherauxiliary devices which have been heretofore used to effect this result.

It is necessary in pneumatic tube systems that the carriers fit thetubes relatively close in order to conserve pressure. l/Vhere curves ofrelatively small radius are formed in the tubes considerable difficultyis experienced in handling cars of any considerable length, owing to thefact that if the curve be a sharp one the carrier would jam. To overcomethis diiliculty and permit the use of relatively long cars I havedevised the conduit construction shown diagrammatically in Fig. 3. Inthis figure the curved portion of the conduit has its opposite wallsspread relatively far apart to increase the width of the bore 11. Thebore in the curved portion of the tube is increased in diametergradually from its beginning to its apex and then decreased in likemanner to the point where it merges into the straight section of thetube.

Referring to Fig. 3 it will be seen that the dotted line 27 indicatesthe true curve of the inner wall of the tube, and obviously the car 16would not pass such a curve without jamming. The inner segment 28 of thetube is, therefore, somewhat flattened so that the bore is increased inwidth between the outer wall 29 of the curve and the inner wall 28. Thisconstruction gives a flared or expanded section in the curve about whichthe car will readily pass, and this I regard as of considerableimportance in this art for the reason that it permits the use of cars ofconsiderable length in conduits where relatively sharp turns must betaken.

By providing a carrier which is substantially U-shape in cross-section agreater amount of space is provided in the carrier than carriersheretofore known which are of circular er 1sssection. It will thus beseen that with a carrier of given length, constructed in accordance withmy invention, a larger load may be carried than with the old form oit'carrier.

While I have shown a particular construction it will be understood thatthe bore of the tube and the carrier may be given any other shape whichis non-circular so as to prevent the turning of the carrier in a tubewithout the use of tracks or other like devices, and the various detailsoi? construction above enumerated, and disclosed in the drawings, may bechanged to accommodate my apparatus to various conditions withoutdeparting -from the spirit of my invention except insolar as I amlimited by the appended claims. It is also understood that the tubeabove described may be made of other material than cementitiousmaterial, such as metal, without departing from the spirit oi' myinvention.

I claim- 1. In a pneumatic despatch apparatus, a tube comprising a bodyol cementitious material having a non-circular bore, a carrier in saidtube conforming to the shape of said bore, supporting wheels at thelower end of the carrier, butler wheels at the sides of the carrieradapted to support the carrier when rounding a curve, a tread-plate inthe bottom of the tube lush with the surface oit' said bore and havingdepending legs embedded in the cementitious material, tierods extendingthrough said legs and the cementitious material for anchoring saidtread-plate therein, wear-plates embedded in the tube at the upper endthereof opposite said buil'er wheels, and means for anchoring saidwear-plates in the tube.

2. In pneumatic despatch apparatus, a tube of cementitious materialhaving a substantially rounded bottom and a non-circu lar top incross-section, a wheeled carrier 'for said tube conforming to the shapethereof whereby said carrier is maintained in an upright position, and acurved wear plate in the bottom of the tube substantially flush with thesurface thereof and adapted to support the wheels of the carrier andupon which the wheels are free to move laterally.

3. In pneumatic despatch apparatus, a tube of eementitious materialhaving a bore rounded at its bottom and non-circular at its top, a treadplate in the bottom of the tube having its tace substantially flush withthe surface thereof and adapted to support a carrier, and wear plates inthe top of the tube adapted to receive the thrust of a carrier whenrounding a curve and lying substantially flush With the top Wall of saidbore and constituting a continuation of the surface thereof.

Ll. A pneumatic despatch tube of cementitious material having a borerounded at the bottom and non-circular at the top, said tube at curveshaving its vertical axis displaced outwardly at the lower portionwhereby substantially all of the thrust of a carrier in rounding curvesis received by said rounded bottom.

A pneumatic despatch apparatus, a tube of cementitious material having arounded bottom and a non-circular top in cross-section, a carrier forsaid tube having a substantially rounded bottom and a noncircular top, amain carrying Wheel on each head of the carrier, said carrying Wheelshaving their rims projecting slightly beyond the peripheries of theheads for contact with said rounded bottom to support the carrier, andbuffer Wheels mounted on the said heads at the opposite sides of said c:rrying Wheels and projecting slightly beyond the peripheries of the headfor contact with the tube to reduce frictional contact between thecarrier and the tube.

G. A pneumatic despatch tube of cementitious material having a borenon-circular at its top and rounded at its bottom and adapted to receivea carrier, a tread plate in the bottom of the bore having a curvedcarrier supporting face substantially flush with the surface of the boreand having anchoring members embedded in the cementitious body forsecuring said tread plate in the tube.

7. In pneumatic despatch apparatus, a despatch tube of cementitiousmaterial having a bore with a rounded bottom and an angular top, a treadplate on the bottom of the tube having a curved carrier supportingsurface, means for anchoring the tread plate in the tube, angularWear-plates embedded in the tube at the corners of said bore adapted toreceive the thrust of a carrier thereagainst when rounding `curves andto reinforce the tube at its top and means embedded in said material forsecuring said angular Wear plates in position.

8. A pneumatic despatch tube carrier having a rounded bottom and anon-circular top, a carrier YWheel mounted on each head of the carrier,said carrying Wheels having their rims projecting yslightly beyond theperipheries of the heads for supporting the carrier, and buffer Wheelsmounted on said heads with their axes of rotation at substantially rightangles to the adjacent edges of the heads.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twosubscribing Witnesses.

GERTRUDE M. STUCKEP., Jas. J. MAWHiNNEY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

